294 TEA LAND. [Cuarv. XVI. 
to their summit. The soil here was composed of a 
gravelly loam; and though far from rich, it contained 
more vegetable matter or humus, and was also 
much deeper. This addition of vegetable matter 
rendered the soil sufficiently fertile to repay the 
Chinese farmer for the labour expended in bringing 
the crops to maturity. Some of the hills are of 
course much more productive than others. The 
tea districts, for example, both in the province of 
Fokien and Chekiang, are not only more fertile, but 
are very different from what they are generally 
supposed to be. One of the most accredited ac- 
counts of China gives the following analysis of the 
soil of these districts : — “‘ The tea soil of China con- 
sists almost entirely of siliceous sand in a minute 
state of division—84 per cent. of sand, a quantity of 
carbonate of iron and alumina, and only 1 per cent. 
of vegetable matter.” Where or how this analysis 
could be obtained, I have no means of knowing — 
most probably from the black tea districts near 
Canton; but it is certainly very far from being a 
correct one if meant to apply to the rich soil of the 
great tea districts. 
But even here, and over all the most fertile 
mountain districts of Central China, it would be 
ridiculous to assert, as some have done, that the 
whole or even the greater part is under cultivation. 
On the contrary by far the greater part lies in a 
state of nature and has never been disturbed by the 
hand of man. I am anxious to state this fact in 
express terms, in order to set those right who have 
